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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Japan 2014: Tokyo Daiwa Sushi & Tsukiji Market

This was when we woke up at 330am to queue for sushi. For breakfast. Yeah, because that's totally what normal people do while on holiday.

Daiwa Sushi, Tsukiji Market 2014

The Sis, the Bro-in-law (BIL) and I woke up early as we planned to have sushi for breakfast. Not just any ordinary sushi, but special sushi. Made from the freshest fish possible. So before the day even remotely looked like day, we found ourselves at Tsukiji, the reowned fish market in Tokyo.

And this is how it all began....we set our alarm(s) for 330am, pulled on our thick coats, walked in the freezing cold weather to our destination with frozen fingers and toes and half shut eyes, and joined the queue for breakfast. We reached the market at about 430am, and the queue for Sushi Dai was already oh-mah-gawd-are-you-kiddin' long. We joined the snaking queue, but it was just too long and when a Sushi Dai shop lady came by to yell out that the waiting time would a coupla hours, we popped over to Daiwa Sushi's queue instead (which was relatively shorter). After another bout of waiting in the cold, the shop finally opened its doors to the hungry crowd outside. There were two sides to the shop, and we were ushered into the last few seats on one side of the shop. After parking our butts onto the seats, we almost immediately gave our orders - we each got the Omakase chef set.

Can I just say - it's the best sushi I've ever tasted in my life. No kiddin'. I've never been a tuna girl (raw, cooked, can - I dislike tuna in all forms), but after tasting a piece of the famous fatty tuna (ootoro) here at Daiwa Sushi, woah, I knew that from now on, the only tuna that will ever pass my lips again is ootoro and nothing less. How can tuna actually taste so good? Ask, and Ootoro shall answer... (okay, that was lame. Sorry. ^^)

Anyway, ootoro taste really good, because it's unlike regular tuna sashimi. Regular tuna sashimi is tougher, chewier, and depending on where you get it, the colour might range from a bright red (fresh - I might consider eating it if it's in a sashimi salad) to a murky red with grey tinge (ewww - I wouldn't touch it with a ten-feet pole). Ootoro on the other hand, is the highest grade of tuna. Just think of it as the equivalent to wagyu for beef. Ootoro is dark pink, with marbling throughout. And when you bite into it, it simply just, melts in your mouth without having to chew hard. The flavour is sweet, and sigh. If you're like me and never tasted ootoro before, when you have your first bite of it, you'll be all, what the sh*t have I been eating all this while.

Hello! Ohayo~

Life-altering ootoro on the right (that's a second piece via ala carte order btw)

Just to give you an idea of the queue at Sushi Dai...

Sushi Dai's queue in the morning at 430am

After the immensely satisfying meal (albeit a wallet-emptying one), we walked around the market for a quick look. The place was bustling, as various merchants were up and about doing their business.

Not much photos cos we didn't spend much time there as we had to head back to the hotel to meet my Dad as they were due to arrive that morning (they came a day later than us).

I'd definitely want to head back to Tsukiji Market again the next chance I get to go Japan. Till then.